Crate-making machine.



M. S. BENNETT.

CRATE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29.1915.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET lwi/tmemo COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0, WASHINGTON, D c.

M. S. BENNETT.

CRATE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mu! 29,1915.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON. D. C.

M'ARTIN S.

CRATE-WEARING lttACii-ZILEE.

Application filed July 29, 1915.

To all whom it m ag concern Be it known that I, MARTIN S. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at lliinneapolis, in the county of @ttawa and State of Kansas, have invented certain new use the same.

prove upon the general construction of machines of this class and to simplii'y the con struction of the movable clamping members and operating means therefor.

ll ith these general objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed the descriptive matter being supp-lenr d by tle accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure is side elevation, partly in section, of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention; il ig; 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the planes designated by the line oil Fig. 2; Fig. i is a vertical transverse section as viewed on the plane indicated by the line i of Fi 1; Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section illus- "rating the operating means for the movable members in inactive position; and, Fi (5 is a disassemblec perspective view of one of the inovaoie clamping members and the parts directly associated therewith.

In these drawings which constitute a part of the application and in which similar ref erence characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicate broadly a frame preferably constructed of angle iron and supportee by a trio oi arched legs 2 whose cross bars 3 are provided thereon ith spacing plates at, the up; or faces of such plates being disposed llnsh with the upper sides of the parhllel longitudinal side bars 5 on the frame 1.

bpecification of Letters EPatc-nt Jan. at, iltlllti.

Serial no.

Mounted in appropriate guide brackets t3 disoosed 0' e at each end of the table, is a pair of vertically shi' table rods '7 which may be raised by actuation of an appropriate foot pedal 8 through the instrumentality of two levers 9 tulcrumed between their ends, loosely connected at one end with the rods 7, and linked to the pedal 8 by links 10. The upper ends the rods 7 are pivoted at 11 to the crowns ot' arched brackets 12 which rise from the (mpositc ends ot the pair oil angle iron side bars 13 oil a movable tilting frame. Said bars normally rest upon the side bars 5 and are connected at intervals by transverse angle iron bars 1%. One flange of each bar It depends from the other flange thereof and provided with a central guide opening 15. The several openings 15 receive shoal the em a longitudinally shiftable merating rod 16 n ich is preferably arched in transverse section.

Secured to the side bars 123 are the lower ends of the legs of a plurality of arched rigid clamping members 1? which coact with movable clamping members 18 shiftable with the bar 16. Each member 18 is substantially tabular formation, being formed of a single sheet of metal bent into a preferably rectangular shape in cross section with the free edges of the metal spaced one from the other to provide an upright slot 19 thrcmghoat the length of one side of the member in question, the opposite side of said member, at the opposite ends thereof, being slit vertically and bent inwardly at right angles to provide a pair stop flanges 20 for contact with the opposite ends of a flat bowed spring 21 which is confined in the member 18.

Rising from the operating bar 16, is a plurality of upright arms or standards 22 whose lower ends are bent horizontally to form attaching feet 23 slotted at 2-l for the reception of adjusting bolts 25 which secure such :tcet to the aforesaid operating bar, while the free ends of the feet 23 are eX tended in an inclined direction toward the upright ends oil the several standards 22, whereby to provide braces 26, the upper ends of the latter being reduced in width at 27 and being rigidly secured by riveting or the like to the aforesaid standards. The stand ards or arms are received in the tubular clamping members 18 and are interposed between the slotted walls thereo; and the bowed springs 21, the aforesaid walls being positioned remote from the rigid clamping members 17. By this means, when the ends E and the partition P of a crate are positioned as disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3, and the operating bar 16 is shifted to the right and held in such position, the springs 21 will so yield as to force the active faces of the clamping members 18 into binding frictional contact with the aforesaid ends and the partition as indicated clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. With the ends and the partition clamped as shown, the bottom slats S are nailed thereto (see Fig. 2) after which the foot pedal 8 is depressed to raise the movable frame, thus allowing the latter to be tilted and again lowered onto the frame 1, whereupon the slats at one side of the crate may be secured in position, after which the pedal is again operated to allow the movable frame to be so positioned as to facilitate securing of the slats of the opposite side of the crate to the ends and partition thereof. The machine is so accurately balanced as to allow the tilting of the movable frame to be accomplished with ease.

For the purpose of shifting the operating bar 16 to apply and release the clamping members 18, a bell crank lever having a short arm 31 and a long arm 32, is pivoted at its angle to one of the endmost transverse bars 14, and the free end of the short arm 31 is connected by a link 3 f to the adjacent end of the operating bar. lhe longer arm 32,

however, is curved edgewise substantially throughout its length and has its terminal bent upwardly at 35 to provide an operating handle. When the bell crank 30 is moved in i one direction to the position seen in Fig. 5,

l priate stop.

the operating bar 16 will be so shifted as to release the clamping members 18, but when said crank is moved to that position depicted in Fig. 3, all of the aforesaid clamping members 18 will be applied. The lever 30 is now held in operative position, since it is swungpast dead center and limited in its movement by contact of the handle 35 with one of the arched brackets 12 or with an appro- This form of shifting device for the bar 16, although being very simple, is highly efficient and durable.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that a machine has been provided which may be constructed totally of metal, angle iron being used almost exclusively throughout, that such machine will thus be extremely simple and durable, and that it will possess a number of advantageous characteristics. Among such features, is the unique construction of the clamping members 18 and the parts directly associated therewith, the simple and eflicient means pro- "vided for guiding the bar 16 in its. movement. and the specific operating means for such bar.

In the drawings, although certain specific details of construction have been shown for performing their independent functions in probably the most efiective manner, it is obvious that I need not be restricted to such details otherwise than to the extent to which the appended claims limit me.

I claim:

1. In a crate making machine, the combination with a rigid clamping member, a longitudinally shiftable bar at right angles thereto, and means for shifting said bar, of a substantially tubular clamping member parallel to the aforesaid member, a rigid arm projecting from the bar into the tubular member, and spring means interposed between said arm and the side of said tubular member adjacent the rigid member.

2. In a crate making machine the combination with a rigid clamping member, a longitudinally shiftable bar at right angles thereto, and means for shifting said bar, of a substantially tubular clamping member parallel to the rigid member, a rigid arm projecting from the bar into the tubular member, a bowed spring interposed between said arm and the side of said tubular member adjacent the other member, and a pair of stops projecting inwardly from said side parallel to the aforesaid member having in one of its side walls a longitudinal slot, such wall being positioned remote from the rigid clamping member, a rigid arm projecting from the bar into the tubular member adjacent the slotted side wall thereof, spring means interposed between said arm and the aforesaid wall of the tubular member, an attaching foot projecting laterally from one end of the rigid arm and secured to the aforesaid bar,'and an obliquely disposed brace bar extending from the foot through the slot and secured to the other end of the rigid arm.

4. In a crate making machine, the combination with a rigid clamping member, a

longitudinally shiftable bar at right angles aforesaid side wall of the tubular member, 7

an attaching foot projecting laterally from one endof the rigid arm and secured'tothe aforesaid bar, and an obliquely disposed my hand in presence of two subscribing Witbrece bar extending from the foot through nesses. the slot and secured to the other end of the MARTIN S BENNETT ll 'ld arm, the portlon of sand brace bar 5 secured to the arm being reduced in Width Witnesses:

for reception in the slot. RAY F. SExToN, In testimony Where I have hereunto set W. C. NELSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

